The world is generating electronic waste almost five times faster than it is recycling it, high-level research has revealed.
A report from the United Nations found that 62 million tonnes of e-rubbish was created in 2022, an increase of some 28m tonnes since 2010.
Meanwhile the formal figure for the documented collection and recycling of such waste increased by less than 6m tonnes over the same period, to 13.8m tonnes.
More than 5m tonnes of e-waste was shipped across borders in 2022, according to the report, of which two-thirds was sent to lower-income countries through uncontrolled, undocumented movements.
United Nations Institute for Training and Research executive director Nikhil Seth called for action to address the issue.
“Amid the hopeful embrace of solar panels and electronic equipment to combat the climate crisis and drive digital progress, the surge in e-waste requires urgent attention,” he said.
Cosmas Zavazava, director at global connections body the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, added: “From discarded televisions to dumped telephones, an enormous amount of e-waste is generated around the world.
“The latest research shows that the global challenge posed by e-waste is only going to grow. With less than half of the world implementing and enforcing approaches to manage the problem, this raises the alarm for sound regulations to boost collection and recycling.”
